Colorado weather: Another round of storms forecast for Friday

Emergency officials in Commerce City were monitoring creek levels late into the evening Thursday — and they and other communities expect to keep doing that on Friday.

Heavy rain fell over the Denver metro area in the 24-hour period ended Thursday evening — with significantly more in some spots. The storms have flooded roads, caused hail damage and delayed flights at Denver International Airport.

On Friday, the National Weather Service expects a high of 69 in Denver, along with another round of storms.

"Looks like they won't be as severe, but there is so much moisture," said Kyle Fredin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. "We will definitely want to monitor that."

Dark storm clouds amass over the Denver City and County Building around 2:30 in the afternoon, Thursday, May 22, 2014.
((Glen Barber, The Denver Post))

The Weather Service said 1.46 inches of rain fell in a half hour Thursday near West Sixth Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard in Lakewood.

During the worst of the storms, flood advisories were issued for southwest Denver and northeast Jefferson County, and flash-flood warnings were issued for Bennett and Strasburg.

Commerce City has developed evacuation plans just in case water levels in First Creek or Second Creek reaches within 2 feet of their banks. The water was just 5 feet below the creeks' banks Thursday evening.

Farther north, campers were evacuated from Bellaire Lake Campground in Larimer County after storms knocked down approximately 200 trees and some power lines near Molly Lake Trailhead. There were also reports of a golf cart that was lifted and moved by the winds.

The Larimer County Sheriff's Office posted a message from the U.S. Forest Service on its Facebook page advising that the campground would be closed "until further notice."

Colorado tornado history

Fredin said it was unknown whether a tornado caused the damage at the campground, but he added that it sounds consistent with a microburst.

In Lower Downtown Denver, the Rockies' game against San Francisco on Thursday afternoon was delayed twice and finally suspended after 6 p.m. with the game tied 2-2. The game will be resumed when the Giants return to Denver in September.

Denver International Airport had 17 flights diverted during the day, and delays were lingering into the night. More delays are possible Friday.

Homes in the Green Valley Ranch neighborhood that were damaged by Wednesday's massive hailstorm in the Denver metro area sit under partly sunny skies Thursday morning, prior to another round of storms in the afternoon. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

Adding to Friday's flood concerns, Fredin noted that residents shouldn't be mindful of just precipitation, but also the snow that has started to melt in the mountains and foothills.